


The Long Way Home

by Reiwyn



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Eventual Romance, Family Feels, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injured Chuck, M/M, Stubborn Chuck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-22 14:46:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16599941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reiwyn/pseuds/Reiwyn
Summary: The world thinks Chuck’s dead but they forgot about one very important thing...Chuck is one stubborn bastard.





	1. Whatever It Takes

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something I’ve had lying around for awhile..

Chuck was afraid.

For the first time in years Chuck felt the icy chill of terror roll down his spin. 

The Kaiju rising from the Breach mere metres in front of him seemed to never end, it’s body so massive it absorbed all light making it appear even more horrifying. Chuck sensed the air in front of Striker’s weak headlights shift before eyes and teeth, so many teeth, moved into focus.

A tiny part of Chuck, not freaking out silently in his head, was relieved he wouldn’t have to live with this monster haunting his dreams every night for the rest of his short life.

“Brace for impact!” Stacker’s shout broke through Chuck’s rigid fear, the Kaiju slammed into them flinging Striker back across the ocean floor like she was a mere annoyance.

Chuck jerked uselessly in his harness like a rag doll wheezing out a pained hiss when Striker impacted with something on the ocean floor ceasing their momentum. Slouching over as much as he could Chuck clutched at his chest dry reaching with the nausea making his head pound.

A foreign but not entirely unfamiliar pain answered his own through the Drift and Chuck forced an eye open to peer over at his copilot. Stacker gripped his own chest tight but was staring out in the dark depth with determination. It pulled Chuck together enough to become aware of the numerous flashing alerts and warning alarms surrounding him. 

Gritting his teeth Chuck blocked out the pain as best he could, straightening so he could flick off the warnings overhead. “T-the release is jammed.” Chuck cleared his throat as his voice shook. “We can’t deliver the payload. Sir!” He had to yell to be heard over the alarms his chest protesting but he ignored it continuing to check Striker’s systems. "We're still armed, but the hull is compromised. Half our systems are offline, sir."

“We need to override the-“

Stacker cuts off mid sentence when Striker is slammed again propelling them backwards further along the ocean bed. Chuck stays aware enough this time to hear Stacker groan along with him and reacts instinctively, thrusting Striker’s Sting Blades into the Kaiju’s throat. Not letting the Kaiju regain its footing they manoeuvre Striker to bury both blades into it’s under arms lifting it with a pained heave. The Kaiju roared in outrage thrashing against their hold only digging the blades deeper. Seeming to realise this the Kaiju switched tactics, kicking it’s back legs into Striker’s chest. 

Chuck frowned as the metal around him groaned with the strain, forcing them to release it. Moving back into the shadows the Kaiju roared again.

"Both Kaiju's merging on Striker fast." Tendo‘s voice warned them.

"Hang on Striker! We're coming to ya!" Raleigh’s voice sounded strained sending a wave of affection through Chuck. Even with a crippled Jaeger the stupid bastard wouldn’t give up.

"No! Gypsy, do not come to our aid. Do you copy?!” Chuck was surprised to feel panic leak through the Drift and shot Stacker a shocked look. “Stand down!"

"Hang on." Raleigh groaned out, pain clear in his voice now.

"Get as far back as you can." Stacker ordered, his side of the drift finally cracking to show flashes of the Becket brother’s defying orders to go after a small fishing boat. Becket was going to get his daughter killed!

Chuck frowned wondering if the man realised it wasn’t just Mori’s life in danger here.

"We can still reach you, we're coming for you." Raleigh replied stubbornly.

"No, Raleigh listen to me. You know exactly what you have to do. Gypsy is nuclear take her to the Breach." Stacker explained, hoping Raleigh would understand what needed to be done.

The silence that followed was tense and felt like it stretched on forever. "I hear you, sir. Heading for the Breach now." 

Stacker’s relief was clear through the Drift, the man relaxing visibly for the first time in Chuck’s presence. Chuck felt a hollow ringing build in his ears as he watched Stacker take off his helmet, he knew what this meant. They weren’t coming back from this.

Was he really surprised though? Chuck knew his chances the moment he and his old man were briefed. He knew his chances even as he shoved Raleigh telling the washed up has-been otherwise.

Raleigh.. Guess he wouldn’t get the chance to come clean and tell the bastard he didn’t hate him. In fact it couldn’t have been further from the truth. Chuck had been in love with the Becket brother’s all the way through the academy, especially the charismatic and cocky younger pilot. It was a feeling Chuck was surprised to note hadn’t really faded but intensified when he met the bloke in real life.

Chuck came back to himself when Stacker’s hand fell to his side and realised he’d probably missed his chance. Well, atleast he wouldn’t have to live with that regret much longer. The thought didn’t do much to sooth his aching heart, but Chuck knew there was no backing out now, he had one last job to finish.

"What can we do, sir?" He asked, removing his own helmet letting it drop to the ground.

"We can clear a path for the lady." Stacker answered, turning to look at him face back to unreadable.

"Their gonna detonate the payload." Tendo‘s voice was sad and Chuck felt another stab to his heart remembering his father was about to listen to his only son’s last moments. Maybe he could get a chance at a goodbye after all.

"Well, my father always said.” Chuck paused as his throat grew tight with suppressed emotion. “He said, if you have the shot you take it. So let's do this." He ignored the deafening silence over the airway continuing. "It was a pleasure, sir." 

Stacker nodded at him in respect flipping off the radio on their side. Chuck reached over to flip the switch on the nuke-

Suddenly intense pain shot up his arm causing Chuck to scream clutching at it, feeling his skin boil under the Drivesuit.

“Sorry, Ranger.” Stacker’s own voice was filled with pain amplifying it through the Drift. “This is something I have to do on my own.” Chuck barely registered his body moving, vision blurring around the edges. “Tell your father it’s his turn now, and to look after her for me.”

The last thing Chuck remembered was Mako’s heartbroken, "Sensei, aishitemasu." Followed by more pain, then blessed darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a multi-chaptered fic but won’t be very long, planning about 4-5 chapters depending on if I add smut or not.


	2. The Sweetest Dreams

——————  
~~~~~~~~~

~"Oh.. I'm going to miss you.. my angel. I l-lo..ve you... so.. mu..." Angela trailed off, her hand leaving a red mark on his face as it dropped never to rise again.~

~“I’m sorry I missed ya birthday again, but.. here.” Herc thrust something into his arms. “I thought maybe ya could call him Max, or somethin’..”~

~"I don't know about you, Rahleigh. But I plan to come back from this mission." Chuck had never felt so much anger and jealousy before that very moment.~

~"Now, you n’ I are the only thing standing between that ugly bastard and the city of 10 million people. Now we have a choice here, we either sit and wait, or we take these flare guns and do something really stupid." Herc stalked over shoving a gun in Chuck’s hand before moving over to the ladder leading to the hatch up top. Shit, the old man real was going to be the death of him.~

~“You are your father's son, so we'll drift just fine." Chuck shook Stacker’s hand, maybe they actually could do this.~

~"Stacker! That's my son you got there." Chuck looked back at his father, eyes burning as he struggled not to cry. "My son." Chuck watches Herc and Max until the elevator door blocks them from view for the last time.~

~“Differences aside, I wanted you to know I think you’re a damn fine pilot and I got your back out there.” Chuck swallowed as he stared into deep blue eyes wishing he could feel the hand on his arm instead of the cool material under his Drivesuit. “Chuck?” Raleigh looked at him incredulous as he gave a weak smile before pivoting on the spot continuing towards Striker.~

~~~~~~~~  
—————-

Chuck came awake with a harsh gasp, body writhing as excruciating pain swept through him. He struggled for breath intense weight pressed at his chest and freezing water sloshed around his feet. Moving hands to touch the cracked and chard glass of the escape pod above him nearly sent Chuck back into oblivion as his left shoulder burned. 

Turning his head to find a shard of metal piercing through the glass into his shoulder, Chuck closed his eyes taking a ragged breath forcing down the approaching panic. Slowly raising a hand so not to jar his shoulder again, Chuck wrapped it around the shard giving a experimental tug, immediately regretting this decision as it sent more intense pain through him.

Clenching his jaw, Chuck pulled hard hearing the glass whine in protest as the long shard moved but didn't release it’s hold on his shoulder. It was with a sinking feeling Chuck realised the shard had continued through his shoulder into the metal bed bellow. Stifling an hysterical laugh at the irony of Striker not letting him go so easily, Chuck went lax looking back up at the glass above him. The very thing that was meant to keep him alive was now trapping Chuck in place while water slowly leaked through the cracked glass above.

No, this was not how he was going to die.

Growling Chuck shook his head moving his hand into a sturdier grip around the shard. Taking a couple breaths to prepare himself, Chuck adjusted his grip trying to get the best leverage in the confining space. 

With a deep exhale Chuck pulled hard not faltering as the pain increased to an unbearable level. Black spots filled his vision warning Chuck he was about to loose consciousness. A groan from beneath him was the only warning before the shard gave sending his right hand still clutching the shard into the glass hard. 

“Fuck! Mother fucking, fuck!”

Chuck bashed his head back a few times struggling with the pain now coming from his shoulder and hand. Something he instantly regretted when his head throbbed at the harsh treatment. Waiting until his body returned to a more tolerable pain, Chuck took the chance to check over the rest of his body. Thumping his head back against the metal bed, gently this time, with a sigh Chuck let the sight in front of him sink in.

Another shard was buried in the lower left side of his stomach, much wider then the one in his shoulder. Fighting the urge to swear some more Chuck grasped the shard, knowing bleeding out was a big possibility now he'd removed the one in his shoulder.

Like the other it wouldn’t budge and Chuck was forced to breath through the pain as he tried examining his abdomen in the small confined space. Atleast this one hadn’t made it to the metal bed, but looking at the glass Chuck noted the jagged teeth like edges trapping the shard within the pod. He needed to remove it soon, the freezing water rising at an alarming rate to fill the escape pod.

Chuck cautiously felt along the shard nearly crying in relief when he felt the deep knick nearly cutting all the way through the steel. Wrapping a hand on either side of the knick Chuck tried pulling and bending the top half while keeping the bottom as still as possible but it wouldn’t give. 

Chuck felt his anger growing with every second it failed to budge. He did not go through all the torture of saying goodbye to his father, surviving a nuke at close range and pulling fucking shards of his beloved Jaeger out of his body to be stopped now!

Determined to see this through Chuck put more force into bending the top of the metal, stopping for a moment when it became to much only to start up again a minute later. 

Finally it gave and not waisting any time Chuck attempted for a second time to lift the glass of the pod. Of course with his luck it didn’t budge, the weight of the water above him to immense. 

With a growl of outrage he started pounding at the glass watching with satisfaction as the cracks grew. Focusing on one point Chuck hit it three more times before water suddenly hit him full force. Breath leaving him in a surprised gasp Chuck blindly felt for the edge of the pod feeling glass crunch against his Drivesuit glove. Using it to pull his body up and out the new exit Chuck was careful to ease out his shrapnel covered abdomen. 

Lungs starting to burn with the need for oxygen Chuck fought his way through the water hoping the surface wasn’t to far above. Much to his surprise it only took a couple strokes before he was greedily gulping clean ocean air. Knowing he was far from home free Chuck surveyed his surroundings.

“Oh, you have gotta be shitin’ me.” He grumbled. No more then 10 metres away was the coastline of which Chuck internally prayed was the same coastline as the Shatterdome. 

It took some effort but Chuck was nothing if not stubborn. Feet finally on solid ground once more Chuck barely made it two steps out of the waves before his right knee gave out sending him crashing into the wet sand. Nausea rose up but Chuck swallowed down the bile with a pitiful groan.

Mindful of the shrapnel still in his abdomen Chuck rolled to his side, attempted to pull it out again. It came away easily this time and he immediately threw it to the side. Clenching his hands in the sand Chuck heaved himself up, managing to get his feet under him one at a time. Placing any weight on his injured leg proved to be a bad idea though as it once again sent him to the ground crying out in pain.

Rolling onto his back Chuck looked up at the clear blue sky deciding he’d earned a break to gather his thoughts and strength. After spending so long with his death looming just around the corner Chuck was left lost with how he should feel now. 

He was alive.. How the fuck did that happen?! Thinking this just brought more questions forth. Did Herc think he was dead? The whole Shatterdome? And what about Raleigh and Mako, did they make it? Chuck didn’t like the deep ache that thought caused in his chest.

Raising his head and taking a look around Chuck figured they must have atleast accomplished where he had failed. Everything was peaceful, no Kaiju leaving paths of destruction or the screams of innocence. Just a gentle breeze and the soothing sound of waves crashing to shore. Chuck pushed himself up on an elbow taking another look around trying to figure out where he was. Not a very promising endeavour when he’d never been outside of Shatterdome’s, besides Sydney, for most of his life. 

It was in his search Chuck noticed something he probably should’ve noted sooner. The sand around him was stained blood red sluggishly seeping out only to be washed away with the sea. Definitely not a good sign.

Chuck tried to climb to his feet but they wouldn’t budge, he was just so damn tired. After trying a few minutes Chuck sagged giving in to the inevitable. Guess he just wasn’t meant to make it out of this alive after all. Staring at the sky Chuck thought about Stacker’s sacrifice and how pissed the guy will be to find out it was all for not.

Still Chuck wished he could’ve seen everyone one last time. He’d give his Dad a hug, scruff up Mako’s immaculate hair like a older brother would, cuddle up with Max in bed, grab Raleigh and kiss the ever lovin’ shite outta ‘im til he was convinced to join him and Max in said bed.

Starting to drift in and out Chuck barely noticed his view of the clear blue sky become blocked, a dark shape falling over him. Trying to keep open heavy lidded eyes Chuck stared at the little girl in confusion. “Mako?” Was he dead after all and Mako had come to take him to the afterlife?

If she answered Chuck didn’t hear it, the darkness finally taking hold.

——————-


End file.
